Fork for motor vehicles



July 21, 1931. s. A. GRAB 1,315,770

' FORK FOR IQTOR VEHICLES mm Dec. 26. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flTTER/VEQ Jill 21, 1931.

G. A. GRAB FORK FOR IOTOR VEHICLES 2- Sheets-@Sheet Filed Dec. 26. 1929 lllll ENTER Z7 GJXGQAB TTURNE/ Patented July "Pau y, or; PORTLAND'QOREGON 7 1,s1's,77e ,1

ifro'niri i oa oron; vE IIoLEs hp u'at b'affiied"ne ember as, 1929. Serial No. 416,400. M V

sides15and-16 are preferably ribbed and [This invention relates, genemuy m the automotive industry, and particularlyyto landtraveling vehicles employing pneumat c tires.

The main object tr als invention to' provide 'a s'pec'ial form, offork for that type of hoistlknown as lumhercarriers in which a vehicle straddles a pileof lumber and picks same up bodily fortransportation]purposes,

and in which'unusually largeflo'ads" are handled. I .1

The --secondobject is to provide a form of fork'for lumber carriersem ilovin neumatic tires in which both ends of the axle are supported as distinguishedfrom the ordinary motorvehicle steering wheelinwhich one end'only 1s supported." I

The third object iktofproduce aformof forkxwhiehwill makeit possible tofreduce the width of the wheel element to a minimum and at the same time] providerthe maximum amountoflateralrigidity.

These, and other ob ects, will become more apparent from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lumber carrier. p y Y Figure 2 is a'horizontal'sectionalong. the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. I 1

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the fork showing the supporting sleeve broken away in section. V

Figure 4 is a section along the line 44 in F1gure3. I I I Similar numbers-of referencerefer to similar parts throughout the several views. 1

Referring in detail to the drawlngs there s shown a lumber carrler whose cross tles 1O unite the cast corner members 11 which are I explained in detailin my copending applica- 'tion Serial Number 181,456. The position of the engine 12 is also indicated. In each corner post 11 ismounteda vertical steerin spindle 18 whose lower end terminates in a curved mud guard 14 on the inner side ofwhich is the I .fork 15 which is cast integral therewith, while onthe outer side of the mudguard 14 v is the fork' side 16 whose upper end is secured by means of the boltsl'? to the guard 14. The

h It will be noted that 15 is almost as wide as the mudguard 14,

shaped, as shown in Figure 2',for the purpose of securing the maximum amount of rigidity Obviously; modified forms of therefrom. this shaping may be employed. Under certain circumstances and with very light caron theheaviermachines it is a necessary element." f

The fork side 15 is provided with a central opening 18 inwhichissecured the axle 19 on whose roller bearings 20 andQl-is mounted the wheel' 22. A grease retainer 23 rierstheside 16 may be dispensed with, but

is formed on the axle 19 against the shoulder I 24 and is secured to thefork side 15 by means ofthe bolts 25. The brake drum 26 is secured to the wheel'22 by means of the bolts 27. On the reduced end 28 of the 331819 is placed the grease retainer 29 on the outside of which is placed an adjusting nut 30 which is prefereablyheld against rotation by means of a -wherein-itis held by meansof a nut35 on the threaded end. 36 of the axlehl9.

.--Brake,iand other details not directly con- 6 nected with this invention have been omitted from the drawings.

whereas the outer fork side 16 is relatively narrow for the reason that the inner fork side must carry the brake element and must also be sufficiently strong to support the load alone, whereas theouter fork side 16-is mu.

the inner fork'side f a 1 ally a brace'between the end ofthe axle 19 and the-"mud guard 14, functioning chiefly as a compression member and eliminating the bending strainsfrom the axle 19. Y

It will be seen that when the bolts 25km the: nut 35 are tightened that ;.the sides 15 and 16' and the axle .19 are united.into a unitary box-like structure giving thema great deal more lateral stability and strength than would otherwisebe possible.

, In operation should it be desired to change a tire 37 it is only-necessary to remove the nutsl'Y-A and the nut 35 and lift the side 16 "away from the fork and wheel, after which free accessis had to the wheel and tire itself It-wi'll be understood thatcarriers of this 1 type are provided with lifting hoists which,

when reversed, can be used to lift the device off from the ground; This is accomplished by placing blocks of wood under the lifting shoes and then lowering the shoes, which tire changing purposes.

causes thewheels of the truck to belifted secured as before.

In, some instances it may be desirable to provide a hinge connection at the top .of the fork side 16 instead of a bolt connection (as shownffor the purpose of eliminating the chances: for a loss of the bolts during a change of tires; although of course it would be desirable to make a hinge. connection somewhat wider than is shown for the bolt connection in order to provide the same de= gree of rigidity. Due to the fact that these carriers carry enormous loads which are much greater than was intended to be carried-011 our highways, it i has become imperative that they be equipped with-pneumatic tires. Owing to i 7 their, peculiar construction the usual steering spindle mechanism cannot be employed and it' is for the. purpose of securing the required rigidityand sturdiness of construe-v tionthat I have scribed.

I claim: 5 1. The combination ofa straddle type of designed the fork above defhoist with a forked steering spindle, a pneu I matic tired'wheel mounted in said fork, and

' 3. In a lumber 'carrier,'a fork for steering means for removingone side of said fork without releasing said wheel.

1 2. In a lumber carrler, the COI'HblIlfitlOIl of afo'rk for steering spindleshaving one removable side and having one'fixed side and an axle rigidly attached to said 'fixed side having one end supported spindles having one removable side and one fixed side, and a shaft having means for rigidly securing same between the lower ends of said fork.

4. The combination of a straddle frame vehicle having forked steering spindles mounted at the corners thereof neumatic tired iwheelsmounted under said spindles, and means for supporting the inner endof each *wh'eel'aXle from an inner forked side alone-when theouter forked side is removed for the'purposeof changing tires.

p 5.111 a lumber carrier the combinationof I by said removablev by the outer forked sides.

6. A forkfonsteering spindles constituting an upright spindle member, a mud guard mounted at the bottom of said steering spindle, aninner forked arm forming a part of said mudguard, an, outer forked arm removably attached to'said mud guard, the lower ends of said forked arms constituting supports for a vehicle axle, andavehicle axle permanently secured to the inner forked arm and secured to the outer forked arm by means of a tapered connection. 1 v H r 7 In. a fork for'lumber carriers-the combination of a vertical spindle, a mud guard formed atthe bottomof said spindle, an inner arm forming a part of saidmud. guard, an outer arm having its upper end attached to said mud guard, a wheel axle permanently secured to said inner arm, a brake mechanism secured to said inner arm, a wheel mounted on said axle having a drum mounted thereon, grease retainersat opposite ends of said wheel around said shaft, anadjusting nut on said shaft against the outer side of the 

